The new warning by the Food and Drug Administration might change the way you deep-fry your French fries.
The guideline has been issued recently by the FDA - stating various approaches to reduce risks of cancer due to potential hazardous chemicals formed in cooked foods. Acrylamide - a chemical in potatoes - is released when the food is cooked in high temperature. Discovered in 2002, acrylamide was then evaluated on lab animals. The result? High dose exposure on acrylamide caused cancer in the animals.
Acrylamide, explained
This chemical is often found in fried, roasted or baked dishes. Some of these foods may also expose acrylamide: cereals, grain-based meals, and toasted bread. Another research found the presence of acrylamide in plastics, cigarette smoke and grouts.
In the FDA's FAQ sheet, acrylamide becomes a health concern as it has always been present in foods. Being anticipated as 'human carcinogen', the chemical may not be easy to remove from the daily diet due to its widespread.
According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, acrylamide could be in the food you regularly consume and it is also found in 40% of calories in American diet - which include soups and nuts. Due to the high-temperature process, Acrylamide does not form at lower level cooking. Plant products such as coffee, potatoes and grain may have a higher level of acrylamide than fish, meat and dairy products. Steaming and boiling have been the most ideal cooking methods to avoid the hazard formation. The FDA's recommendation also includes adopting healthy eating plan as a way to reduce acrylamide since completely avoiding the chemical is inevitable.
Americans can refer to Dietary Guidelines released by Health.gov for better eating patterns and healthy food combination along with its specific nutritional information.
